Rajnath Singh asks IAS officers to keep arrogance at bay

Rajnath Singh was addressing senior IAS officers during their mid-career training programme at Mussoorie's Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, on the second day of his four-day visit to Uttarakhand.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday cautioned IAS officers against being arrogant irrespective of the highs they might achieve in their careers. Singh was addressing senior IAS officers during their mid-career training programme at Mussoorie’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, on the second day of his four-day visit to Uttarakhand.

“Arrogance is a flaw which you must keep at bay. It destroys everyone it touches,” Singh told the bureaucrats. “You may rise very high in your careers, occupying positions of eminence, but howsoever high you may go, don’t ever let this quality creep into you,” said Singh.

The Union minister cited the example of ‘Ravan’ — whose towering effigies will be burnt all over the country tomorrow to celebrate Vijayadashmi — said the demon king was destroyed by his arrogance despite being affluent in every other sense. “If you study the character of Ravan, you will find that he had wealth, erudition, and power. He had even conquered death. Still he was vanquished in the end,” said Singh.

“Why? Because of his arrogance,” he said. Singh is currently on a four-day visit to the state. He is likely to celebrate Dusshehra tomorrow with the jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. He is also likely to tour areas bordering China, including some border outposts.